Daylighting in Sacred Buildings: Application of Dynamic Brightness Balance and Contrast in Divine Luminous Environment for Energy Saving and Visual Comfort

Facing the challenges of global warming, daylighting design optimisation for energy saving and visual comfort has become increasingly important. Across the centuries, architecture precedents have showcased daylighting as one of the key defining elements of spatial quality. While light does not exist in any physical forms, it possesses the superiority to reveal, create and enhance the atmosphere of a physical space, which in-turn impacts the perception and experience of users. How then do we meaningfully make use of this profound natural source to reach our goal in energy savings and visual comfort? This paper investigates different daylighting design strategies in sacred environments, aiming to understand how daylighting strategies using dynamic brightness balance and contrast were applied in two unique sacred structures for enhanced visual perception and energy saving. The research methodology included qualitative field studies by subjective recording of the lit scenes through photographs and hand drawn sketches to assess the visual and biological appreciation of the spaces; and quantitative surveys of brightness contrast in selected visual fields by luminance and illuminance distribution mapping. The research outcomes reveal how visual perception and comfort in sacred environments can be enhanced by appropriate use of daylight, leading to substantial long-term energy saving.